GUIDANCE DEPARTMENT

OAKRIDGE

GUIDANCE DEPARTMENT

Counsellors

A – D Mr. Kunder

E – Moh Mr. Michailidis

Mol – Z Ms. Favento

​

Support Staff

SIS Secretary Ms. Rhee

Guidance/IB Secretary Ms. Bal

MR. MICHAILIDIS, MR. KUNDER, MS. FAVENTO - COUNSELLORS

MS. RHEE – SIS SECRETARY

MS. BAL – GUIDANCE/IB SECRETARY

GUIDANCE OFFICE

• Counsellor offices
• Desk of the SIS secretary (Ms. Rhee)
• Desk of the Guidance/IB secretary (Ms. Bal)
• Volunteer Forms
• Ontario Student Records (OSR)
• All report cards
• Volunteer hours
• Medical reports
• Suspension records
• Student photos

GUIDANCE BULLETIN BOARD

1. QR Code for easy access to making a guidance appointment
2. Graduation Requirements
3. Community Volunteer Opportunities
4. Tutoring Opportunities
5. Part-time Jobs
6. Post Secondary Information
7. Scholarships

GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS

​

• 30 Credits (17 Compulsory Credits + 13 Optional Credits)
• 40 Hours of Community Service
• Completion of Literacy Requirement – Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT) OR Ontario Literacy Course (OLC4O)
• Financial Literacy Requirement (Starting in 2026-2027 school year) – part of your compulsory Grade 10 Career Studies course. Must achieve a mark of 70% or higher in the Financial Literacy unit
• Online Learning Requirement – Students may opt-out of this requirement

​

GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS

​

For detailed information on Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) requirements and for a link on volunteer opportunities leading to completion of 40 Hours of Community Service, click here.

​

17 COMPULSORY CREDITS

• 4 English – 1 per grade
• 3 Math – grade 9, grade 10, and grade 11 OR grade 12
• 2 Science – grade 9 and grade 10
• 1 French – grade 9
• 1 Geography – grade 9
• 1 History – grade 10
• 1 Civics/Careers – 2 half credits in grade 10
• 1 Art
• 1 Physical Education
• 1 Technological Education - MUST be at grade 9 or grade 10 (e.g. TAS1O; TDJ2O; TGJ2O). Digital Technology (ICD2O) does NOT count
• 1 STEM-related course group (see next slide for list)

STEM-RELATED COURSE GROUP

• Business Studies
• Computer Studies
• Co-operative Education
• Mathematics - after 3 compulsory credits have been earned
• Science - after 2 compulsory credits have been earned
• Technological Education - after grade 9 or grade 10 credit has been earned

13 OPTIONAL CREDITS

“Optional Credits” are elective credits that students can choose from any subject area, any grade, and can be taken at any level (i.e. academic, applied, college, de-streamed, locally developed, mixed, open, university, workplace) providing the prerequisite credit (if any) has been previously earned.

COMMUNITY SERVICE HOURS

​

• Hours of Community Service accumulated starting in July 2026, and submitted to the Guidance office, count towards your 40 Hours of Community Service graduation requirement
• How to Submit your hours:
1. Pick up “Completion of Community Involvement Activities” form from guidance office or download here
2. Make sure to include your FIRST AND LAST name on the form
3. Have your supervisor sign the form
3. Have a parent/guardian sign the form
4. Photocopy or take a picture of the form before turning into Ms. Bal in the Guidance Office

​

LITERACY REQUIREMENT – OSSLT/OLC

All grade 10 students will write the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT) in the Fall (first semester).

​

1. Not successful in the Fall or absent on day of test:

• Students will have a second opportunity to write the OSSLT in the Spring (second semester) of their grade 10 school year.

2. Not successful after completion of your grade 10 school year:

• Students will have an additional opportunity to write the OSSLT in grade 11.

3. Not successful after completion of your grade 11 school year:

• Students will have the option to write the OSSLT again or be enrolled in the Ontario Literacy Course (OLC4O) in grade 12.

​

��ONLINE LEARNING GRADUATION REQUIREMENT

​

• Students are required to earn at least two online learning credits to earn their Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD).
• However, parents/guardians can request to opt-out of this requirement through the Parent Portal.

​

REASONS TO BOOK A GUIDANCE APPOINTMENT

• Timetable inquiries – availability of courses
• Course changes – add/drop course
• Summer school registration
• eLearning course registration
• Volunteer hours and part-time employment
• Academic planning – meeting Ontario Secondary School Diploma requirements
• Peer tutoring – you will be matched up with a peer tutor who is currently in grade 10/11/12 if you require academic assistance in a subject area
• Scholarship investigation and application support
• Post-secondary planning – apprenticeship/college/university/workplace destinations
• Social/emotional support – Concerns about school, peers, life, etc.

​

​

HOW TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT WITH YOUR GUIDANCE COUNSELLOR

​

1. Go to the Oakridge homepage: tvdsb.ca/oakridge
2. Click on the icon titled “Guidance”
3. Scroll down to the bottom of the page and click on “Guidance Appointments”
4. Click on the Guidance Counsellor that corresponds to the first letter of your last name
5. Select a day and time (Guidance appointments can only be scheduled up to one week in advance)
6. Ensure you have included your full name and email address and mobile phone (if you have one)
7. Select the reason for the appointment from the drop-down menu
8. Click on the blue “Book” button at the bottom of the page

​

TVDSB CARES – ANONYMOUS REPORTING

• Anonymous reporting site to let a caring adult at Oakridge know about concerns regarding a friend/classmate/student or situation.
• You may be worried because you see a change in someone’s mood, behaviour, or coping strategies because of a personal loss, bullying or other life issues.
• This tool is for non-emergency incidents of bullying and other school safety issues, it is not monitored on a 24/7 basis. In an emergency, call 911 immediately.

HOW TO SUBMIT A TVDSB CARES REPORT

​

1. Go to the Oakridge homepage: https://oakridge.tvdsb.ca
2. Scroll down to “Programs”, second link under “Oakridge Secondary School”, on the left side of the page
3. Click on “Guidance”, second column, third row
4. Click on “Anonymous Reporting”, third link on left side of page
5. Complete the form and submit

OAKRIDGE SCHOOL LETTER AWARD

​

• Oakridge School Letter Award (aka Oakridge Letter) recognizes overall academic achievement and exceptional contribution to the Oakridge community, over 4 years.
• Must complete tracking sheets, including club/coach signatures, each year starting in grade 9.
• Must be eligible for Honour Roll in all four years of high school (grade 9 – grade 12). See next slide for Honour Roll criteria.
• Tracking sheets are now available in the Guidance Office.
• Four tracking sheets must be submitted to Mr. Michailidis in April of your grade 12 year.
• Oakridge Letter presented to eligible grade 12 students at our annual Commencement Ceremony in June.

ANNUAL AWARDS ASSEMBLY

​

• Awards Assembly in November to celebrate academic achievements from the previous school year
• All course credits (including eLearning and summer school) granted by publicly funded schools, from September 1 to August 31, will count towards the calculation of your average
• Honour Roll (aka Academic Excellence): achieving a minimum of 80% average in the required number of courses each school year, from September 1 to August 31.
• Grade 9: 8 credits
• Grade 10: 8 credits
• Grade 11: 7 credits
• Grade 12: 6 credits

COMMENCEMENT - SOCIAL GRADUATION

​

• Oakridge has the tradition of hosting a Social Graduation in June.

​

• Social Graduation means that students do not have to officially graduate (30 credits, successful completion of literacy requirement, completion of 40 hours of community service, financial literacy requirement - minimum 70% achieved) to participate and cross the stage at Centennial Hall.

​

• Your Commencement will be held in June 2030, with everyone who entered high school in the 2026 – 2027 school year.

​

​

Any Questions?